Watershed Leaders Network

Action Stories

Ron Meiners and Kevin Kuehner, both working on the Root River Field to Stream Partnership stand next to an edge-of-field monitoring site for the project on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 in south east Minnesota.

Conserve Together: Farmers talking with neighbors is prime driver of success across watersheds

The data on saving soil and protecting water quality is clear. Conservation practices work. However, they take time and money, and other priorities can get in the way. The Root River Field to Stream Partnership gathered data, but more importantly, it engaged with growers and encouraged conversations among growers that led to positive changes.

Think Different

Everybody says they care about conservation, but in three small southeastern Minnesota watersheds, farmers stepped up to the plate to walk the talk. When the Root River Field to Stream Partnership came knocking in 2015, 47 out of 48 farmland owners opened the door. More importantly, they opened their farm gates to the review of their soil and water conservation practices by Ron Meiners, the partnership’s technical specialist.